Consolidated rockfill design and quality control at Kidd Creek Mines

CIM Bulletin, Vol. 86, No. 972, 1993

P. Farsangi and A. Hara, Kidd Creek Mines, Timmins, Ontario

Kidd Creek Mines places approximately 10 000 tonnes of consolidated rockfill on a daily basis. Consolidated rockfill is comprised of shed aggregate mixed with different ratio and amounts of binders. Consolidated rockfill, with closely controlled specification, is employed for subsequent pillar recovery and improved passive/active ground support. With the same amount of cementing agents consolidated rockfill mass yields a higher, compressive strength, modulus of elasticity, cohesion, and angle of friction compared to a typical cemented hydraulic fill mass. The consolidated rockfill at Kidd Creek Mines is designed to sustain not only the gravitational loading of the overlaying fill material, but also to some extent the dynamic loading applied during blasting of the adjacent slopes and/or pillars. The quality control of materials used in Kidd Creek's rockfill system could be effected in three stages of handling: (1) at the surface backfill plant; (2) during transportation; and (3) placement of the fill.The emphasis in this paper is placed on individual stope backfill design and quality control measures at Kidd Creek Mines to place fill in large-scale open stapes which eventually could be exposed on all four walls during pillar recoveries.